Firing Line
The Influence of TV on American Politics
TV Flash files “The Influence of TV on American Politics” as hour 59 of 326 in the TV Flash guide — Firing Line (1966–1999) on Syndicated/PBS, season 3, episode 41, aired 1968-09-03, 120 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S03E41: listed hour 59 of 326 in the Firing Line guide, hour 12 of 15 in season 3. It aired 1968-09-03 (120 min). The listed hour before it is “The Hippies” (S03E32). Next is “The Black Panthers” (S03E43).
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Influence of TV on American Politics sit in the Firing Line guide?
S03E41 is listed hour 59 of 326 — hour 12 of 15 in season 3, season 3 episode 41.
When did Firing Line S03E41 air?
The Influence of TV on American Politics aired 1968-09-03 and is listed at 120 minutes.
Where should I start?
A Buckley hour with a guest from across the aisle and room for full sentences is the contract. Clipboard, drawl, no countdown clock. Sample debates, not a serialized doctrine.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning argument into spectator sport: clipboard, drawl, and guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, it ran for decades on polysyllables. Political talk before the countdown clock — intellectual blood sport with manners, and sentences allowed to finish on national television.
Clipboard, drawl, and a guest from across the aisle — argument as spectator sport before the countdown clock. Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning political talk into ballet and blood sport at once. Premiered 1966, then ran through syndication and PBS into 1999. Sesquipedalian flair, pointed civility, ideas as combat. Public-affairs TV with a maestro's ego. Sentences allowed to finish on national television. **It set a gold standard for intellectual TV debate across ideological lines.**
Filed against
- William F. Buckley Jr. as Host
William F. Buckley Jr. hosted Firing Line as argument-as-spectator-sport — clipboard, drawl, guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, decades on polysyllables. TV Flash files him as…